


22nd Florists Avenue

by LenaLuthorOwnsMe



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Assisted Suicide, Character Death, Established Kara Danvers/Lena Luthor, F/F, Get your tissues binches, Major Illness, Meet-Cute, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-29
Updated: 2018-08-29
Packaged: 2019-07-04 01:49:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15831270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LenaLuthorOwnsMe/pseuds/LenaLuthorOwnsMe
Summary: I apologize.





	22nd Florists Avenue

**Author's Note:**

> I apologize.

We didn't have the best first meeting in the history of first meetings ever; it was both very embarrassing and unlikely at the same time but, I know I wouldn't have it any other way. You see I've always believed that everything that's happening in my life is something meant to happen at the right place and at the right time. Say, if I got that job offer from my dream consultancy firm before I accepted being an Engineering 101 instructor at my stepsister's Alma Mater then I may not have stumbled in that fated class on my first day of teaching and met her. Nothing of that may have happened if Gordon, Hewitt & Denver's called me for the job offer of a lifetime a week earlier. But you know what? I never regretted accepting the offer of teaching soon-to-be engineers even though she was an Economics major. It was fate that worked there, my fate. I was fated to embarrass myself in front of her to make an impression and guess what? It was a painfully good first impression after all.

It was the last month of summer; you see I've been unemployed for a few months now since I came here in National City to live with my stepsister, her girlfriend for five years and two of their other friends in their NC dream apartment. At first it was fine, adjustment and settling in period, the second month was blending in with the locals, third month was my sister reminding me that it's okay and that I shouldn't worry about figuring everything out right away because she's got my back like we always have since we were kids. But in the fourth month I was desperate, I felt like my degree isn't helping me to get the life I want, and I know one more month of National City minute, I would surely be needing intervention.

"Problem Kara? It's too early to mope around." Sam asks while I was slouched in front of my coffee mug on the kitchen table.

"It's been three days since my interview with Gordon, Hewitt and Denver's and they still haven't called." I explained, Sam offers a small smile as she sat in front of me, Sam is my sister's girlfriend she's an environmental lawyer and if I can describe her with just one word, I would say perfect. She's everything nice and loving and understanding, and I'm so glad for Alex that she has her in her life.

"You know it's never easy Kara, sure National City's booming with skyscrapers and towers of empires of businesses and what not, but their standards too are as high as their skyscrapers and towers. I'm not saying you can't qualify for any of those empires but you also got to earn qualifications. You know I once spent half of the year bumming on your sister's couch before I got a decent paying job and I realized it's okay if your first job offer wouldn't give you a six-digit-salary right away, just as long as you're learning from it and it helps you grow as a person and as a professional." Sam mentors as she was stirring her coffee and checking the headlines of today's paper.

"Thanks Sam, really need that." I smiled as I drank the rest of my coffee.

"You're welcome Kara, just remember your sister and I are here to support you." Sam nods sounding more like a mom instead of a soon-to-be sister-in-law.

"I think I'm gonna make that call." I declared just in time Alex came in from the living room.

"Awesome! Finally!" She cheers messing with my hair as she rounded the table to her seat.

"I'm sure Kate would be thrilled to hear from you." She adds sitting beside Sam.

"Thank you guys, don't know what would happened to me if it weren't for you two."

"Now don't be so sentimental my pre-school kids are good at catching cry babies." Alex teases and we laugh.

That morning after they left for work, I called Kate, Alex's college friend who's now looking for a replacement instructor because she's soon going to tie the knot with her long time girlfriend Maggie and moving to Canada so they can both manage their business.

"Hello Alex?"

"Hey Kate, no Kara here - -"

"Hi Kara! It's good to hear from you. How are you?" Kate greets and her natural friendliness just took me away.

"I'm thinking of applying as your replacement instructor?" I hesitated still hoping deep inside my heart that Gordon, Hewitt & Denver's is going to buzz my phone while I was talking to Kate but the call never came even until Kate and I were finished scheduling my process of entering National City University.

The week after the call, I met with Alex and the rest of our friends in our usual pub just around the corner from our apartment to tell them the good news of me finally getting a decent paying job after four months and sixteen days of moping around.

"I propose a toast, for Kara's achievement today, may you teach innovation to the group of a hundred and twenty skeptical American students you're gonna have on Monday!" Lucy, the womanizer of the group declares and we raise our bottles of beer to her.

"Why are they gonna be skeptical of me?" I frowned.

"Yeah Lucy what up?" Alex seconded raising an eyebrow.

"How old are you again Kara?" Lucy coolly asked.

"26?"

"See? You are too young for those students and yet you're gonna be giving their grade. So if you don't know how to handle them they're gonna eat you alive." Lucy shrugs, Lucy is a cool woman but she can be so insensitive sometimes like the real life Barney Stinson of the group, only she's a girl and she's secretly in love with Imra.

"It's not going to be like that, Kara would be striding right inside that auditorium filled with students of different ages and races with head up high and confident." Imra defended me and Lucy just rolled her eyes in response. Imra is our LVN and fun fact she's also into Lucy but then again she's self-righteous and all that. Yeah, you could say they're so into each other but they both have a reputation to uphold not for us their friends but for themselves and their ego. Alex, Sam, and I all hope for them to just talk their feelings out before it's actually too late for them both.

"You two stop you're starting to wig Kara out." Sam tried stopping them but the two still are arguing about whom I should believe.

"Okay stop it you two, Lucy what should I do for those student to believe that I got what it takes to teach them Engineering 101?" I snapped and the both of them went silent for a minute before Lucy fixed herself and face me with a satisfied smile.

"First, you shouldn't entertain questions. Never entertain questions on the first day of teaching for you already have the answers all they are allowed to do is listen." Lucy starts.

"What if they have a really important question?" Imra asks but Lucy pretended not to hear anything and just go on making Alex and Sam laugh.

"See? It's effective, you'll know when someone's gonna ask a serious question or not, you've been in college too Kara." Lucy says a matter-of-factly.

"You also just have to know when you're going to stop talking and let them ask you about the curriculum and what not but that's for the remaining 30 minutes of the class. After you pull that off without buckle, you've already established your method as an instructor huh?" Lucy concludes like she just told me a life changing advice.

"Thanks for the advice, Luce."

"Any time Kara. Any time." Lucy smirks making Imra grunt beside me.

I was racking my nerves since the call I had with Kate, I know it's irrational but the thought of a hundred and twenty skeptical students keep finding it's way in my mind that it adds up to my nervousness. I spent my last weekend of being unemployed perfecting my curriculum over coffee and bagels and having my afternoon walk to reflect about what I would be as an instructor until something happened, it was Sunday a little over two in the afternoon when I received the call I've been waiting for the whole week now, Gordon, Hewitt & Denver's human resource manager himself called to tell me that I got the job offer but with a heavy heart and a word to a friend I declined my dream job.

I thought I can take it, I mean it's not like I lost something I already had but I was wrong, so after crying my eyes out in the bathroom for three hours and calling my friends to meet me at the pub where I drank my liver out to numb the conking pain of my ego until two in the morning, only to be dragged by Alex and Sam home because my first class tomorrow will be at nine and I certainly am not in my best possible state of mind. Here I am now standing in front of a hundred and twenty students all ready to learn about Engineering 101 at nine in the morning and I'm hangover.

"Good Morning class." I greeted at the quietest class I've ever been to, they all look like they've never seen an instructor as young as me but I don't care I listened to what Lucy told me, fake confidence until I have it. So I turned around towards the glass board to write my name.

"I am professor Danvers and today I'll be teaching you guys Engineering 101." I said with grace and a confident smile, or so I thought. The class stayed deadpan after my short introduction, others are exchanging looks while others are checking their notes.

"All right let us start with module 1 - -" I started again when a blonde girl in the front row raised her hand along with her eyebrow, I was about to let her speak when I heard Lucy inside my head,  _never take questions on first day_ and so I did I shrugged her off and continued talking about the 101 speech I formulated on the way here in the cab.

I was in the middle of my speech when the door at the back opened and came in a bald bespectacled man in his fifties carrying a thick book in one hand and a grandfather cane in the other. I know that NCU is an open university but this guy has guts to just casually walk in class like he own the place. What an attitude and it irks me up big time so I cleared my throat loud enough for him to hear, he frowns and stops halfway the flight of stairs.

"I'm sorry Mister?" I started.

"Mister Jones?"

"I'm sorry Mister Jones, but you are already 15 minutes late for Engineering 101." I said crossing my arms against my chest, as he stood tall in the middle of my class.

"Excuse me but Economics 314 has been taught in this auditorium for 87 years now."

"Okay so? Free trivia?" I sarcastically asked making his nose flare and frown deepen, _what's up with this guy why can he just sit down so I can start with my class._

"What do you say you're teaching again?" The man asks as he advances towards my direction slowly almost mocking me.

"Engineering 101, Mister Jones so if you could just sit down - -"

"I'm sorry but you're in the wrong room."

"Oh yeah? So you're saying that a professor and a hundred and twenty of her students got into the wrong room? This is room 2354 Engineering 101, FYI." I challenged

"You're in the wrong room Miss Danvers." The girl I ignored earlier dignified.

"What?"

"You're in my class Miss Danvers, this is room 3-2-5-4 Economics 314."

"What is your major again?" I asked the whole class suddenly hit by realization.

"Economics." The whole room said in unison and the next thing I knew I was running out of the auditorium with my things and my shame on tow. I checked my schedule again and confirmed that my class was on the other side of the campus or the Engineering, Planning and Architecture side of the campus.

All in all, I was 30 minutes late for my first class; I made such complete a fool of myself in front of a hundred and twenty Economics majors and made fun of one of the most well known professor of Economics in NCU. Not bad for the first day of class I say, just the worst day of my entire life.

"What happened?" Alex eagerly asks soon as I pushed the door open.

"It was a disaster." I said collapsing on the couch.

"You took questions huh?" I heard a muffled protest from Lucy's room and I looked at Alex again she's holding a dismantled doorknob.

"What's going on?" I frown.

"Lucy and Imra are trapped inside until they figure out their relationship."

"Come on Alex! This is not fun anymore, we're just happy hanging out." I heard Imra whines.

"Not the answer I want to hear. Try again."

"Try harder Imra or I'll have all these bacon to myself." Sam suddenly emerges from the kitchen with a plateful of bacon.

"You allow this?" I laugh.

"Lucy and Imra shouldn't be sleeping together without clear manifestation of what they are to each other so I allow this."

"Isn't this illegal detention?" I ask.

"The kid's right! You two are holding us against our will." Lucy says with a bang on the door.

"Shut it Kara, just go eat let us adults handle this. Also, you're coming to Kate's wedding on the weekend right?" Alex orders and asks at the same time.

"Yeah, I want to thank her for my job." I said as I got inside my room to rest.

The rest of the week breezed by after the dreadful first day. My class although neither a hundred and twenty nor waiting for me everyday in a huge auditorium is a decent group of 15 boys and 15 girls, who are all fascinated about engineering like me so I got that going good for me.

Saturday came and we're all dressed up for Kate's wedding at three in the afternoon for the castle wedding. This is one of the few things I try to avoid as much as possible given my age, it's not that I hate weddings because I can clearly imagine myself walking down the aisle someday but I also don't want to rush into that as well. I feel like there's so much more waiting for me or so much more I am waiting for that's why I'm cautious of getting into a serious relationship. Don't get me wrong though I dated a number of people in my college days and went out with a couple of women in the past four months I'm here in the city but nothing felt serious.

"You look glum for a wedding Kara stop moping." Lucy teases while we're at the reception.

"We are here to feast on the beautiful bride's maids."

"I thought you said you're already dating Imra?"

"We're in a open relationship."

"No you're not." I snort.

"No we're not." Imra suddenly came and sat beside Lucy holding her by the nose.

"Behave will you." I told Lucy shaking my head.

I began scanning the whole reception hall, I can see Kate and Maggie along with other couples even Alex and Sam slow dancing on the dance floor when I came across two observant striking green eyes amidst the see of blue, brown, and gray eyes in the crowd. I scanned the room once more until my eyes landed on those inviting eyes again and they are staring right back at me. An internal conversation between us commenced when green eyes directed me towards the open balcony behind the caterers. After a few minutes green eyes excused herself from her group and stood up leaving a trail for me to follow and so I did. I told Lucy and Imra that I'll just be going to the washroom and stood up immediately to follow the woman who owns the most alluring eyes I've ever seen.

"Hey." I called out soon as I spot her by the balcony she was facing the view of downtown and then she turned to face me with this kind of smile a dimple on her left cheek was showing, her raven colored hair in a high bun that frees her beautiful face.

"Hi." She greets back

"You look familiar." I offered because I suddenly felt like I already saw her somewhere before I just can't recall.

"Maybe?" She smirks.

"So what are you doing here?"

"What are you doing here? You followed me." She giggles.

"What if I tell you I did not?"

"Then I wouldn't understand why you're lying."

"And if tell you the truth?"

"Then I'll find it cute."

"Made sense. You interest me, whose side are you from?"

"I'm Maggie's best friend. How about you?"

"I'm actually the bride's friend's sister. I'm her replacement instructor at NCU."

"Wow, so I am totally right." She laughs shaking her head

"Sorry, what do you mean you're right?"

"You are that engineering professor who stole 20 minutes of our Economics 314." She said raising an eyebrow and I turn red.

"You were there? How come I didn't see you?"

"Because you were so busy telling our professor to sit his ass down so you can start your Engineering 101 class."

"Oh boy, what a disaster, I've never been into that side of the university again after that."

"You were pretty brave though, until such time you are proven wrong and you were all red frantically gathering your things and running away."

"Thank you for the painful recount."

"You're welcome." She nods.

"So you know me, but I don't know you, what's your name?"

"Lena. I'm Lena Luthor."

"So you're in your junior year? Aren't you a bit young to be Maggie's best friend?"

"That's flattering but I'm already 27. Economics is part of my MBA." Lena explains.

I was never good at small talking bride's maids before but that afternoon I tried. Lena and I talked about everything we could talk about while people inside are going crazy about the reception program. It was just amazing how a complete stranger could instantly compliment your personality and that's not easy to find in this fractured mess of a city, when we got back inside just in time the newly weds are thanking their guests for coming I braved of asking for her number but it doesn't turn out as well as I've expected.

"Nope." Lena playfully smiles.

"What do you mean? Didn't you enjoy yourself talking to me the whole afternoon?"

"I did. But it's not that easy. Why don't you meet me tomorrow at the university grounds around lunch time."

"Is that a date?"

"Only if you show up." Lena winks as she turns toward her friends on the table opposite ours.

After the reception my friends and I transferred the drinking session in our pub and while Alex and Sam are talking about how they want their wedding to be as simple and intimate as Kate and Maggie's, Lucy and Imra are playing cats and dogs again because of some hot blonde Lucy smiled at on the way out of the reception hall.

"How about you Kara? Who was the brunette you were talking to earlier?" Sam suddenly asks and I was caught of guard. They all stopped having their own little worlds and focused on me.

"Hmm?"

"Oh yeah, you were talking to Maggie's best friend earlier right?" Alex confirms.

"I uhh that was nothing."

"She was not nothing Kara, you're blushing." Lucy teases.

"I am not."

"Yes you are Kara, you're blushing." Imra added earning a high five from Lucy.

"Come on you guys, don't sabotage this. She's so cool. We have so many things in common."

"Wow slow down there you just talked to her for like two hours and now you're saying you two are destined?" Lucy laughs, I rolled my eyes at her.

"Whatever Lucy. I'm seeing her tomorrow."

"Yes!" Alex and Sam cheer.

"No! No! You need me as your wing-woman first." Lucy protests.

"Lucy for the record, all the girls you wing-woman me to before ended up in your bed not mine so for Lena, I think no."

"Aww burn." Alex teases while Imra already has her eyes at Lucy.

"I hate you." Lucy huffs before shutting up.

The next day after my daily jog around the neighborhood, I fixed my lessons for next week and totally lost track of time. It was around eleven in the morning when Alex came out of their room and looked at me funny.

"Kara." She calls out while I was finishing my long quiz items.

"Hmm?"

"Kara."

"What is it Al?"

"Aren't you supposed to be on a date with Lena an hour from now?" Alex asks and just like that my memory snapped.

"Shit!" I cussed abandoning my table full of work and rushing towards my room.

"Better make calendar alerts Kara." Alex calls out with a laugh.

After showering and getting dressed I rushed out of the apartment around quarter to 12. I instantly took a cab to the university and ran half of the university grounds I was panting when I reached the top step of the great NCU symbolic stairs of success.

"Almost fashionably late." Lena knowingly smiles as she walked towards me.

"I'm so sorry, I was caught up with lessons this morning." I honestly said.

"Thank you for being honest, by the way here." Lena nods as she handed me a medium sized bouquet of yellow pond lilies.

"Wow." I exhale genuinely surprised by her gesture.

"I hope you're not freaked out." She suddenly said taking a small step back.

"No. Thank you Lena. So let's have lunch?" I said offering my hand to her.

"Yes please." She smiles so wide her eyes disappear.

Lena turned out to be that so much more I was waiting for. Our similarities are uncanny. You know that scene in the movies where the main character finally found the one for them? That's easy to say and difficult to prove, but Lena - - she happened at the right time and at the right place, and I believe this to be true.

With Lena, university life became easier, so much easier than I thought it would be especially when I started taking courses for my masters since all entry level instructors are required to fulfill their master program a year after being hired. I am not the best person for short-term memory though; Lena got a hold of that in the first six months of us being together. I tend to be a bit late every time we're going on a date and she would always remind me about what I'm missing, I tend to always ask what her friends' name were and what they do for a living repeatedly, and there's this time that I almost missed her brother's birthday.

"Love." Lena peeks from the door of my classroom, I was still grading papers.

"Did I miss anything? Or I'm about to?" I worried and she laughs as she walked towards my table her hands behind her.

"No, I just want to give you this." She smiles handing me a stem of a large sunflower.

If there's anything very consistent about Lena, it's her remembering everything about me and about our relationship. She's my complete opposite and I'm thankful of having her patience.

"We're still having dinner with our families tonight right?" She shyly asks.

"Are you nervous?"

"Kind of? It feels pretty serious for me."

"For me too love, but I know I'm serious about you too, so." I smiled making her blush.

Lena's right having both our families in one place was pretty serious and overwhelming at the same time, that night I played as the mediator of everything from the introductions to the conversations and the plans, basically our plans. I was able to have an alone time with her parents and her with mine as well and the moment she came back to me, my mother already loves her.

Lena and I graduated at the same time, it was a summer day in September all of our friends and family are present from the ceremony to the after party in our apartment. Everything was just momentous that time, we are all getting along really well that our mothers already have their own women's' day out and our dads are having their fun time fishing and sailing together.

"Love, what are you doing here?" I asked Lena while she was facing the view from the balcony of our apartment.

"Nothing love, I'm just taking a break." She says turning to face me pulling me into an embrace.

"I saw the flowers in my room earlier. Thank you." I smiled before kissing her on the cheek.

"You're welcome. So we are real adults now." Lena sighs as she hugged me, her head resting on my chest.

"We are."

"Will you marry me?" Lena asked out of the blue and my brain stopped functioning. Lena pulls away to look me in the eyes, waiting.

"Lena - -" I started as I studied her face, she's all serious and expectant of me and I suddenly did a recount of our two year relationship, my mind asking me if I'm ready to say yes, and I tried digging deep into my heart all the while if I do but my mind was blank.

"Kara?" Lena whispered tears at bay.

"There you are! Come on you two, our moms and dads are going home." Alex suddenly interrupted and just like that Lena let go of the topic and just held my hand and pulled me inside again.

"Problem Kara? Too early to mope around." Sam asks as she sat in front of me while stirring her coffee.

"Lena, asked me to marry her last night." I spilled and Sam was as surprised as I was the night before.

"Have you told your sister about this? Did you say yes?" Sam concerns.

"No, I haven't. And no, I didn't have the chance to tell her my answer."

"But it was pretty much a no right?"

"Why did you say so?"

"Kara it takes 2 seconds to say yes. If she asked you that and you took longer than 2 seconds to answer that means you're in doubt, and more likely a no."

"But it's not like I doubt my love for her or hers for me but I doubt if we're actually ready to be living together."

"Kara marriage is more than living together. Your sister and I are basically living together for more than a decade before I proposed to her. You spent three weeks in Asia travelling together last year, how was she around you in the BandB? How does she starts her morning, how does she spend most of her time, how does she ends it? Would you be able to live with what she is when she's candid? When her hair looks like a nest in the morning, or her light snores at night?"

"I'll have to think about it first. And I'm sure I've offended her about last night, I'm gonna meet her later I have time to think." I offered.

"Ask your sister about it too."

"Ask me about what?" Alex asks as she walks in on us

"I should leave you two so you can talk in peace." Sam instantly says as she gathers her things and kisses my sister goodbye.

We didn't get married that summer or even that year, instead we took a month off from work to travel Europe for 35 days. We celebrated our third anniversary in Copenhagen and Christmas Eve in Paris. After that we went home and spent the New Year's Eve with our friends. Everything after what happened on the night of our graduation got me thinking that although I wasn't ready for a married life before I'm sure to have thought about a life I'd love to have with Lena so much so that I started daydreaming about us.

It was fall 2017 and I'm waiting for the result of my yearly general check up as required by the university for all faculties. When I heard a doctor talking on the phone, I mean, I didn't mean to overhear but she was actually standing beside me while I was seated on the first row of chairs in the waiting area.

"Sure Lena, I'll be waiting for you here, I got your bag with me yes with your car keys, alright I'll meet you by the drive way." The woman in her fifties said with a light laugh in her voice, I know there could more than a hundred Lenas in National City and anyone of them could be coincidentally the patient of this doctor but my curiosity was nagging me so I decided to follow her but even before I was able to do so, I was called by the nurse for the results of my check up. After what I overheard this morning I was unsettled the whole day so I decided to surprise Lena by bringing her dinner and flowers at her apartment downtown.

"Hello love?"

"Hey what's up?"

"I'm actually downstairs I brought you dinner."

"Oh love, I'm at my brother's house for the weekend. I'm in Metropolis. Told you last week right?"

"Oh yeah, sorry I forgot." I apologized and I heard her softly chuckle.

"It's okay babe, I'll see you first thing when get back okay?"

"Okay. Drive safely, I need you here with me."

"Of course. I love you."

"I love you too. Bye."

From Lena's apartment I went home and spent the weekend in our family house in Midvale with my parents. It was around eight o'clock in the morning of Monday when I received a frantic call from Alex that Lena was brought to the hospital around six. I arrived in the hospital two hours later and I was welcomed by a sleeping Lena with Alex and our friends with her.

"What's going on?"

"I think it's better you talk with her doctor Kara, huh? She's in her office just across the hallway." Lucy offers with an unsure smile. So instead of nagging them for answers I went out of Lena's room again inside the doctor's office.

"You're Kara." The same doctor from last week welcomed me with her motherly smile and cheekiness, making my heart race.

"Yes doc, what happened to my girlfriend?" I hesitated.

"Please have a seat Kara." She smiles once more, her features now filled with more pity.

That morning I was welcomed by the fact that my girlfriend for four years is slowly but surely losing her memories and everything in between. Lena has a rare early-onset Alzheimer's, that's developing faster than it should taking in Lena's young age. The news shook my whole body that I spent the last half hour inside the doctor's office half listening to anything her doctor was saying after the word Alzheimer's came up. The moment I left the doctor's office I was in denial, how can she acquire such disease when she's seemingly healthy and attentive about everything, or was that what I wanted to see from her?

My mind reeled back to every time Lena showed any signs of her illness but I couldn't recall anything. Around two in the afternoon Lena woke up like nothing happened, she was looking for me and was calmed down when she saw me walk right in. That night I drove her to her apartment; I stayed silent all the while she was holding my free hand. She asked me to keep her company for the night and I agreed scared that tomorrow for some bizarre but very plausible reason she don't remember me anymore.

I tucked her in bed with all the promises I know she needed to hear and I wanted to tell her but after her dozing off I suddenly felt detached. I roam around her apartment and saw her home office unlocked so I gave in to the idea of peeking inside. I've never spent so much time in this part of her home so I felt like an intruder. I turned all the lights on inside the room and was welcomed by this crafted wall of post-its. When I took a closer look of what was scribbled on each my heart wrenched, they are daily reminders from the day I intrude their Economics class, to the day we talked in Kate and Maggie's wedding, and for everyday we were together, she has them taped on the wall in chronological order. I saw a pattern though when I studied her monthly memories, the special dates like my birthday, our anniversary, Valentine's, Christmas, and New Year were all written with a code, 22ndFA.

I continued to pry on her memories when I stumbled upon the date of our graduation day, there's a postscript note on it saying, 'try asking her to marry you today.' And that's when I lost it; I collapsed on her swivel chair sobbing hurting every part of me. It might not be part of my plan before, but it was part of hers all this time, and that's the most heartbreaking thing.

The next day I went home to Alex, Sam, Lucy and Imra, all waiting for me by the living room, they're all giving me that 'look' of sympathy that I do not need, that I'd hate to need in time. I walked over to Alex and we spent the next 30 minutes crying.

"It's okay and we'd totally understand if you'd want to end it before it ends you Kara- -" Alex softly says.

"I want to ask her to marry me." I answered.

"Kara- -" Lucy started.

"I know I sound crazy, I told myself just that when I arrived with this decision but it's Lena, she's everything I ever asked for Al, and you know that."

"What if there's so much more waiting for you?" Imra protests.

"She is so much more than I'm waiting for Imra. And right now I just want to be with her."

The week after knowing about her illness I asked Lena to marry me at the top step of the symbolic stairs of NCU where we first met for our first date. We planned our wedding in the shortest possible time and none of it, as in not the least bit was how I imagine it would be for us, but it's what we needed after everything.

I got married to the love of my life in the fall of 2019 after five years of being together and it was the happiest day of our lives. Lena and I spent the next five years of our married life trying to have a baby because Lena wanted so much to be the baby carrier, but I was secretly scared that if we use her cell for the insemination someday the same would happened to our kid, so we compromised.

In the winter of 2024 we welcomed our baby girl and we named her Lorelei or Lori, for her mommy Lena and me. We spend the next five years in bliss of taking care of our kid and enjoying her youth and affection. She helped Lena remember the small things at her young age. She watched over her mom when I'm not around making sure Lena wouldn't wonder by the garage or anywhere near the fish bowl of keys.

By the time Lena hit the age forty-five I was basically taking care of two 10 years old. Part of Lena's illness is her acting so much younger than her age sometimes. It was the start of the toughest years of our lives, Lena had to stop working because she'd already forgotten how she's supposed to do her job. I had to accept drafting and designing buildings as a freelance for extra income while I still teach at the university. Our friends never faltered to help us though, especially Alex and Sam even our parents, who decided to start staying with us so she could take care of their now ten years old granddaughter.

More than the evident struggles we faced that year, one good thing that happened to me was the occasional flower delivery, I received the first one on my birthday with Lena's hand written note with it.

_Dearest Kara,_

_Happy forty-fourth birthday love! I know by this time I can hardly remember to put on my pants or even your name but baby believe me that I love you. I know I may have stopped telling you that I do by this time as well, but I want you to know that I love you so much. Thank you for your patience, thank you for being the greatest wife and mother. Today starts my giving back for everything you've done for our family. Have a great one!_

_P.s. I know for sure our friends and family would come to visit._

When I first received a bouquet from Lena for a moment I thought maybe a miracle happened but then the envelope was dated back in 2019 and the same 22ndFA code came along with it. That year I was showered with flowers and letters from my wife, scheduled from ten years ago.

I was no saint, there were times I thought of escaping everything and just disappearing from their lives, for I know Lena wouldn't remember me anyway. That's what happens after years of thoroughly giving and loving and always choosing what's best for my wife it gets the best of me at some point. That one day I came home from the university and the whole house was mess, I was so tired from the whole day of teaching and beating draft deadlines and it was what I came home to. I rushed towards our bedroom ready to storm out when I opened the door to Lori instructing Lena what she needs to do with the bouquet of flowers that came in.

I pushed the door open and as taught by her daughter Lena smiled so widely it hurts me so much to see my wife on this stranger. Lena slowly walked towards me flowers in hand and I fought hard not to run away.

"Happy Anniversary love." Lena softly said and for a moment I saw her, the Lena I loved right from the start. That night I read Lena's letter before I went to bed.

_Dearest Kara,_

_I could only imagine how hard life must have been for you and Lori because of me, I just want you to know that you don't have to take care of me from now on I've arranged for a home care for myself although I may be needing you to drive me there tomorrow. Also, Lori's funds for senior high school and college would be off the time deposit tomorrow as well, so you have nothing to worry about that anymore. Focus on yourself now Kara, you deserve to be happy. I'm sorry if I waited this long to tell you this, but doctor Williams told me that I may have until this age to remember you, and I wanted so much to do so. I know I would give anything in exchange for a moment to remember you and Lori and how our life has been in the past years._

_I could only make the most out of it, and it's time for you to do that too._

_Happy Anniversary Kara, I love you._

The next morning we were off to the home care Lena told me about on her letter. Lena was in the best mood she's ever since; she made it easier for me to do what she wants me to do. It was one of the hardest decisions I have to make but I know Lena knows that we have a daughter to raise.

"Will you be okay here?" I asked Lena as we help her settle in her bedroom.

"I'll just be here, you have nothing to worry about." She says with a small smile as she moved to hug me like she always does.

"We will always come to visit." I promised as I melt into her arms either way.

"I know. I won't remember but I know by heart." She whispered as she kissed me goodbye.

After the bigger changes in our set up, I let go of the drafting and designing job to focus again to what I've always loved doing – teaching soon-to-be engineering students in the coming semester.

While I was enjoying my afternoon walk downtown, instead of my usual route of turning left towards the park, I instead took the right turn the strip of small shops hoping to find something new and then I came across this quaint flower shop called the 22nd Florists Avenue and something clicked inside my head, my feet took me inside the shop and the next thing I knew I was talking to the lady by the counter. They confirm the code 22ndFA and my wife's subscription to their long-term delivery services since they specialized on that kind of service.

Lena had always surprised me before and she continues to do so as our lives go on. This may not be the life I would've daydreamed for us but I don't regret any of it. The hardest decision I have to make was another five years after, when Lena's letter seeking for assisted suicide came on the mail. At first, I never understood her reasons but it's Lena, she's always known what's best for her and for us since then.

I was forty-seven and a widow when I started another summer term, I walked right into the class of a hundred and twenty students and for a moment while I was scanning the whole class I saw her – Lena seated by the back entrance of the auditorium. I know my mind is only playing tricks on me but I don't care, she was there, seated and quietly waiting for me to start the class and for a moment I thought maybe I forget what class I am in again.

"Sorry but correct me if I'm wrong, this is Engineering 414 right?" I smiled to that blonde attentive looking girl on the first row. She nodded in affirmation and I was able to breathe, I looked up to where she was again, but she was no longer there. It's funny how for a minute you're forgetful, always taking for granted the best things in life, always doubtful of what the results might be without appreciating the process, the journey, the memories and then the next thing you know, you remember everything, you can even remember how she smelled, how she's done her hair and what she wore the first time you saw her. And for a split second of seeing her there, the auditorium was empty, she's the only person I can see and we're both in our twenties again. I now recall where she was actually seated on that fated first day of class in their Economics 314. She was sitting right in the middle quietly shaking her head at me.


End file.
